Why did I read this book: The Mercy Thompson books are some of my very favorites in the Urban Fantasy genre, and Patricia Briggs is one of those amazing authors who I have read since middle school. I absolutely loved Iron Kissed, and Bone Crossed was easily one of my most highly anticipated books of 2009…so when I received my ARC and a chance to interview Ms. Briggs, it was a no-brainer!

Summary: (from amazon.com)In a world where “witches, vampires, werewolves, and shape-shifters live beside ordinary people” (Booklist), it takes a very unusual woman to call it home. By day, Mercy Thompson is a car mechanic in Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a shape-shifter with some unusual talents, Mercy’s found herself maintaining a tenuous harmony between the human and the not-so- human on more than one occasion. This time she may get more than she bargained for.

**NOTE: THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST THREE MERCY NOVELS. IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE FIRST THREE BOOKS AND WISH TO REMAIN UNSPOILED, AVERT YOUR VIRGIN EYES!**

Review:

Bone Crossed begins immediately following the dramatic and tragic events of Iron Kissed. After being raped and beaten–and then ripping her attacker to shreds through her drugged haze–coyote shapeshifter (a “walker”) and VW mechanic Mercy Thompson is still incredibly shaken. She decides that she will not let her assailant cow her and make her live her life in fear of others, and she boldly tries to fully accept her mate-bond with Adam (the Tri-Cities pack Alpha whom Mercy has accepted as her mate in the previous book). She soon discovers that despite her anger at feeling victimized, she still has a long way to go before she is fully over her traumatic ordeal.

Luckily (or perhaps not so luckily), distractions arrive in the form of Mercy’s mother–though hurt because she had to hear about her daughter’s rape through national news, she’s willing to be there for her daughter–and then the unexpected appearance of Stefan. Mercy’s Scooby Doo loving vampire friend teleports into Mercy’s trailer…during daylight. Stefan is seriously burned and emaciated, a walking death wish to any living, warm blooded folks around him. Adam, with the help of the pack, is able to keep Stefan alive, but it’s clear that someone intended him to kill Mercy–two of his three words of warning to her ring ominously: “She knows.”

In Blood Bound (book 2), Mercy worked with the local vampire seethe, enlisted by the local Vampire Queen Marsilia to find a dangerous demon-ridden vampire responsible for a string of brutal murders in the Tri-Cities area. Mercy discovered that the dangerous sorcerer-vampire was actually Andre (Marsilia’s right hand man)’s creation, and that with Andre’s help, Marsilia planned on creating more of these creatures. With the help of Stefan and the pack, Mercy was able to kill the demon-vampire, and to ensure Marsilia would not be able to create any more like it, Mercy and the gang also killed Andre. Fast forward two books later, and Marsilia has learned who was responsible for Andre’s death, and now she has a death warrant out over Mercy’s head. When Marsilia has Mercy’s body shop spray painted and decorated with a curse mark stating as much, Mercy now faces every vampire, witch and renegade supernatural creature gunning for her death. Not only does this present a problem for Mercy’s life expectancy, but it also threatens the local werewolf pack as Mercy has officially become Adam’s mate and the pack is obligated to protect her from any threats. Unfortunately for Mercy, most of the pack already weren’t thrilled with having a Walker for their Alpha’s mate, and the news of the vampires gunning for her threatens their already crumbling unity.

Matters are further complicated when Amber Chamberlain, an old sort-of-friend shows up on Mercy’s doorstep and asks for her help, claiming that there is a ghost in her house and that it is terrorizing her son. Figuring that she might as well get out of the Tri-Cities until Adam and the Pack can negotiate a truce with the Vampires, Mercy makes off for Amber’s home in Spokane. There she finds a strange, malevolent ghostly presence like no other she has seen before and she manages to stumble into an even bigger problem with the master vampire who maintains sole possession of the city, whom everyone refers to as “the Monster”.

Needless to say, there’s an awful lot going on in Bone Crossed–not only is Mercy facing death threats from the spiteful Marsilia, she’s also got her hands full with a very old and powerful vampire who wants to enslave Mercy as his own. Not to mention the pressures being put on her by the werewolf pack to fully accept Adam’s bond–and she’s still fragile and hurting from the events in Iron Kissed! It’s a tall order, but Mercedes Thompson meets all these obstacles with her trademark frank level-headedness.

As usual, Ms. Briggs’s characterizations are in top form in Bone Crossed. One of the many things that draws me back to Mercy time and time again is her no-frills attitude, her empathy, and above all, her intelligence. Mercy’s neither the bad-attitude-super-bitch nor is she a weepy damsel in distress–like the Popeye song goes, she is who she is. Mercy tackles all of the problems facing her head-on, refusing to make herself some poor martyr. When the pack is threatened because Marsilia has a vendetta against her, Mercy accepts the pack’s protection and help (instead of stupidly trying to go it alone). When the pack snarls and bristles at Mercy’s rank when she’s just a mere coyote, she is able to stand up for herself and establish her place as Adam’s mate. When things get hairy out in Spokane with James Blackwood (aka “The Monster”) and Mercy realizes that no one can come out and save her, she does what she needs to do to save herself. I really appreciated the fact that Ms. Briggs also took under careful consideration Mercy’s state of mind following the harrowing events of Iron Kissed. There is no reboot, magically-all-better button for this character–she’s a rape victim with her story splashed across national headlines, and this clearly takes a toll on her during Bone Crossed. Physical intimacy with Adam, though she trusts him and loves him, triggers panic attacks, and it’s only gradually that Mercy is able to work out some of her issues. Her fear of being vulnerable plays into her narrative in Bone Crossed in a huge way–and it makes her decisions later in the story all the more poignant.

I was extremely happy to see Stefan return in this latest novel, as well as a reemergence of the vampires storyline from book 2. Stefan is in an incredibly interesting character–for all that he seems harmless and a good friend to Mercy, puttering around in his Mystery Machine, he’s also one of the strongest vampires in the Tri-Cities. Also, his motivations are always slightly suspicious, as seen in his role in Blood Bound–this latest novel explores Stefan’s loyalties and feelings beautifully. As for the rest of the bloodsuckers, they are in true terrifying form. The storyline involving Marsilia and her seethe is wonderfully excecuted; vampire politics are very complicated (a byproduct of their immortality, one supposes), but everything comes together in the end and makes sense (in a twisted vampire kind of way).

And–what I’m sure most folks have been waiting for–there’s Adam and Mercy’s relationship. In Iron Kissed Mercy puts an end to the romantic triangle by choosing Adam Hauptman over old love (and heartbreak) Samuel. Just because Mercy has accepted Adam as her partner, however, doesn’t mean that they are a bonded pair. Since Mercy also happens to be a Walker and not a werewolf, the ties of pack magic are even more complicated. Regardless of these complications, Mercy and Adam’s relationship takes a huge step forward in Bone Crossed. Adam doesn’t play as large a role in this installment, but the presence he does have with Mercy, comforting her, giving her the space and respect she needs is truly heart-warming (melting?). To be fair, I was always gunning for Adam, so I was giddy to see the two of them finally together in this novel. To those curious out there, biting their nails and hoping for an answer: YES. Mercy and Adam go the final mile. They round all the bases. Grand slam, outta the park home run…if you get my drift with all the baseball analogies.

BUT, I will say that Ms. Briggs keeps things interesting. Sam hasn’t quite faded from memory–he’s still around, and for a second there, Mercy seems to wonder if what they had could have been enough…I’ll be interested to see how this plays out in future novels!

Bone Crossed also brings a few more answers and interesting developments for Mercy as a Walker. To date, we haven’t seen any other Walkers, but her unusual powers and reactions to magic are explored much more in-depth in this latest book. Beyond just seeing and talking to ghosts, it turns out a Walker’s abilities encompass much, much more. This is a plotline that has been dangled tantalizingly since Moon Called and I cannot wait to see what the next book brings for Mercy!

As I have come to expect from Patricia Briggs, Bone Crossed is a riveting read. The plotting is superb and we get more of those characters we have grown to love. I couldn’t put this book down. My lone regret was the lack of presence of the Fey as the momentum of the series switched back to the vampires. Of course, you can’t have it all, and I expect we’ll see more of the fey in the next Mercy book. We’re introduced to a new, disturbing character in Bone Crossed (a certain mythological character who shall remain nameless in this review), who makes an interesting comment about Mercy–and I’m dying to see more of how it all plays out.

Notable Quotes/Parts: I loved this scene with Mercy diffusing the tension between Alpha boys Adam and Sam.

“What do you know about Blackwood?”

Adam’s voice and posture were just a little too aggressive for an Alpha standing in Samuel’s kitchen. Another day, another time, Samuel would have let it go. But he’d had a bad day…and I thought that the vampires hadn’t helped. He snarled and snapped a hand out to shove Adam back.

Adam caught it and knocked it away as he came to his feet.

Bad, I thought, carefully not moving. This was very bad. Power, rank with musk and pack, vibrated through the house, making the air thick.

Both of them were on edge. They were dominants–tyrants if I’d have allowed it. But their strongest, most urgent need was to protect.

And I’d been recently harmed while under their protection. Once with Tim and a second time with Blackwood–and to a lesser extent with Stefan. It left them both dangerously aggressive…Samuel was more dominant, but he wasn’t an Alpha. If it came to a fight, neither of them would fare well. In a few breaths, the pause before battle would stretch too long, and someone would die.

I grabbed my full-glass of juice and tossed it on them, putting out a forest fire with a thimbleful of cranberry juice. They were standing almost nose to nose, so I got them both. The rage in their eyes as they turned to me would have caused a lesser person to run. I knew better.

I ate a bite of pancake from Adam’s plate that attached itself like glue to the back of my throat. I reached across the table and took Samuel’s coffee cup and rinsed the sticky knot down my throat.

You can’t pretend not to be scared by werewolves. They know. But you can meet their eyes, if you’re tough enough. And if they let you.

Just one of the reasons I love Mercy so much–she knows how to handle big bad snarly wolves.

Also, if you haven’t already, make sure to check out the first chapter of Bone Crossed, available on the author’s website.

Verdict:Bone Crossed embodies everything I have come to love with this series and is the most gripping story to date. The character growth, the layered plot and the engaging writing makes this Mercy installment my favorite to date. Bone Crossed not only lives up to its massive hype–it surpasses it. Highly recommended.

Rating: 8 Excellent

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Hey, we’re having a Giveaway! We are giving away ONE copy of this pretty new hardcover to a lucky winner! The contest is open to everyone and will run until Sunday February 1st at Noon (PST). To enter, simply leave a comment. For the heck of it, tell us why you love Mercy, and which guy you were rooting for–Adam or Sam?

ALSO STAY TUNED! On February 8th, Thea will get to meet and interview the talented Patricia Briggs! We’ll post the interview shortly after…and who knows, maybe throw in another giveaway.

Related

As your great review says, Mercy is real. That’s why I like her so much-she does some things that make me want to yell at her, but she stays real and consistent. I was rooting for Adam-I really like Sam but their relationship seems to much still in the past for a good future. Janell

I admit, I skimmed the review because I don’t want to know too much more until I read it. What I read though, I very much like and as I’ve told others already talking about the book – I am very hungry for Bone Crossed!

And since I can’t find the book yet, I’ll dive into the contest. I like Mercy because she’s this tough little gal amongst all this testosterone and these alpha males. Not once do we ever lose sight of who she is. She stand above all of them.

And oh yes, I’m for Adam. I feel for Sam, but I also don’t care for the way he used her, even if he knows it was wrong and admitted it. I do look forward to him being redeemed though.

I echo the above comments. Patricia Briggs’ writing makes you believe that all these characters truly exist. They are not perfect people, but they have rules they live by that they hold onto as important in bad times. I liked Adam best, but I would like to see Sam happy with someone.

The first three in this series, as well as several others by Briggs are available at www.bookins.com, my favorite online book-trading service, which I’ve found to be a great way to keep reading without spending much money! Check it out if you’re looking for more good reading!

Janell–Thanks! And yes, you say it perfectly: Mercy is consistent and real. She’s such a grounded character, and that’s awesome.

KMont–Word! I love how little ol’ coyote Mercy can diffuse the overzealous, testosterone-y werewolves (like in the passage above). And…yeah I was rooting for Adam too! Not that I don’t like Sam, but he had his chance and totally blew it.

Kathybaug–I wholeheartedly agree with you! And yeah…I also want Sam to be happy and find inner-peace.

Katie–Thanks for the heads up. I definitely recommend reading the series in order!

TDF–Yes and yes 😛 I figured so far as spoilers go, the status of the Mercy-Sam relationship is probably one that a lot of fans want to hear 😉 You won’t be disappointed.

Aymless–Dude, you need to get on the Mercy bandwagon already! Plenty of room here 😉 I think you’ll really love this excellent UF series. Mercy’s awesome like that

You got it in one, Mercy is like none of those “I’m the toughest bitch alive” or “Where is my man to save me?” heroines. Mercy is who she is. I was rooting for Adam, as Samuel’s intentions re: having kids and their history together will always be in question. Hope he finds someone, though! Cannot WAIT for this book!

Great review, as always, Thea! I loved this one. Don’t you think Briggs is particularly adept at endings. They’re always perfect, IMO. No need to enter me. I already gots my copy. Review went up today, in fact.

I skimmed too because I don’t want to be spoiled, but it sounds good. I can’t wait to read it 🙂

I was definitely in the Adam camp, so yay 🙂 And as for why I like Mercy – agree totally with the “she’s real” comments. She’s not this kickass superhero person who can do everything and then some, she has limitations, she’s vulnerable, she’s realistic.

Oh boy, I’m excited about this one. I just got a little shiver while reading the review. I think that little snippet of Mercy dousing Samuel and Adam says it all, doesn’t it? She’s brave, she’s funny, and she’s a surprise. I didn’t expect that at all! I’ll have to remember it if I’m ever caught in a werewolf sandwich (umm, yes please? hee.) Anyway, I’m an Adam fangirl, but I like Stefan too. There’s so much unexplored tension there, I’d love to know his feelings towards Mercy. Between Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews, this is gonna be a rockin’ year (but these ladies are killing me!) *sigh* Bring it on! 😆

Man, I have such a girl-crush on Mercy! I skimmed the review as well, afraid to read too much about the plot, but I couldn’t resist the excerpt. Her actions there, with Sam and Adam, are exactly why she’s so awesome!
I actually just posted my Re-read Challenge review, which was Moon Called, since I’m re-reading the series to get ready for Bone Crossed! It really stands up to the re-read. 🙂

Hmmm, I like Mercy because she is sensible. To me that is a HUGE compliment! She knows her limitations and she is not to proud to ask for help when she needs it. And as for Adam or Sam, I was completely gunning for Adam 🙂 I like Sam but, he was the love of Mercy’s youth. Adam is the love of her adulthood (if that makes sense?)

I didn’t read too much of the review because I didn’t want to spoil it, but I can’t wait to get this book! Put my name in the hat! I love the Mercy series. Mercy seems like a real person and she’s a strong character, but she’s not afraid to ask for help. And I was for Adam all the way!

OK – I hate to say it but I had to skim your review (but what I did read is great!) lol So sorry, but I decided just today that I NEED to read this series. I’ve not read any of the books and you said there were spoilers in the review…thus, the skimming.

I would LOVE to be entered into the contest but can’t tell you why I love Mercy since I’ve not read the books! 🙂

So…looks like Team Adam is the hotness! Come on now, there HAS to be at least one Team Sam fan out there! Don’t be shy!

Oh and I gotta side with Zara too–I love the tension and dynamic between Mercy and Stefan as well. If you’re a fan of Stefan, [i]Bone Crossed[/i] will be a HUGE treat for you 😉 Check out Angie’s review (http://angieville.blogspot.com/2009/01/bone-crossed-by-patricia-briggs.html) for an excerpt with our favorite Scooby-loving vampire.

The Mercy Thompson series is by far one of my favorites these days, and as others have expressed, I’m incredibly drawn to Mercy as a protagonist. She’s smart, confident, and capable, but she knows when to call in the troops and ask for help. I like that she’s got some special gifts but remains limited in her preternatural powers. Somehow that makes her achievements more significant. I also like that she doesn’t go it alone…and that she cares so tremendously for her friends. Talk about loyalty! I’ve read BONE CROSSED already and there’s an encounter with a fae who made me think a lot about Mercy’s purity of heart. I’ve decided this is a huge part of her persona and why I like her so much.

No need to enter me in the contest as I already have the book, but I just had to chime in with the rest with my enthusiasm for this book and this series. Only one more year until #5!! Ha!

Mercy is a great character. She is full of strength but still able to feel for others, which is rare in people.
Moreover, I like about her that she is not perfectly beautiful in a popular kind of way. We have enough of those heroines. In fact, that she has some flaws makes her even more sympathetic.
Then again she is able to overcome her pride when necessary without loosing her dignity or integrity, which is shown in the way she interacts with weres.
And she is very reliable, which is an important trait in a person.

And I’ve always been on Adams side, not because I dislike Sam, but because Adam is such a strong, reliable and honest person, you have to love him. :3

Thea, I’m beyond ecstatic to hear there’s more of Stefan. As much as I love Adam, I have to wonder if there’s anything there, a little acorn of possibility with Stefan. After all, if Mercy settles down for a happily-ever-after with Adam, where’s the fun? 😆 Let’s throw a spanner in the works! (oh, that was a bad pun…)

I like Mercy because she knows her limitations. She knows when to stay and fight but also when to cut and run. She’s just very smart about her world.

As for the whole Sam or Adam thing, while I do like Sam. I’ve always felt that Adam would be the better guy for her. I would like to see Sam with someone of his own. I wonder how they are going to handle Stephan and his feelings for Mercy ?

Shame on me because I haven’t gotten to this series yet! So I can’t answer the question 🙁 But winning this would definitely make me go buy the first of the series ASAP. I’ll get here regardless anyway, but this sure would speed things up.

Mercy comes alive in the the series. Her personality, actions, dialog, the way she teases Adam, and her very real response to the rape bring her to life. I cried at the end of Iron Kissed and I was glad that Mercy had Adam’s solid support to hold her up.

I have a huge crush on Adam. Even though Mercy makes him crazy, he never backs down, he clearly loves her.

My birthday is next Wednesday- a copy of Bone Crossed would be a lovely surprise! 🙂

I love the way Mercy deals with the men in her life. A mixture of postering, distraction and downright ignoring the big alpha males (of all species). It’s a keen reflection on her personality too. She’s so smart and just plain cool in the face of danger, and yet scared shitless as anyone else would be.
Mercy Thompson is super keen!
I’ve always preferred Adam over Sam and for exactly the same reasons as they stated in the last book. It was a childhood love born of all the wrong reasons, and while it’s a real kind of love it prolly wouldn’t end in a way that Mercy or Sam deserves. Adam needs Mercy, he needs her sassiness and her courage. He needs her for his daughter and his pack. He just needs her, but not what her body can do for him (besides the obvious fun parts).

I closed my eyes for most of your review, but am soooooo happy you liked the book!! I can’t wait until Tuesday to read it. This is one of my favorite series!! And now that she has finally chosen Adam *sigh* You don’t get more Alpha then him:)

hey.. i love mercy because she is unlike most characters out there.. she stands out among the others.. meh i dont know how to describe it..
anyways.. was rooting for adam.. cuz sam was kinda too convienent..
good luck to the winner!! (and i hope i have a shot!! lol)

Excellent review, Thea! I hung on your every word and am so thrilled that you loved BONE CROSSED so much. I can’t wait to read this one!

What you say here about Mercy is exactly how I see her as well:

“”One of the many things that draws me back to Mercy time and time again is her no-frills attitude, her empathy, and above all, her intelligence. ”

Like you said, “she is who she is.” It’s so simple, but yet… if you haven’t read the books, that might be not make sense. But I totally get that!

How awesome that you’re going to get to interview Ms. Briggs on the 8th! What an awesome opportunity! 😀

I rooted for Mercy to be with Adam from the beginning. However, I do love Samuel and hope that he and Mercy will always be close. I also hope he finds a mate who deserves him and can fulfill his lifelong wish…. he deserves that happily ever after, you know?

I skipped over the majority of the review because I haven’t yet had a chance to read the first three books since I only recently heard about them. I have to say, though, that I’m completely intrigued by all of the books in the series and look forward to getting all caught up soon.

I now have the first 3 books and getting ready to read through, and would love to get this one now and keep on going, so can’t comment on characters yet. I read and loved a couple of her other books and the short in On the Prowl, and this thread is just making me want to read about Mercy even more.

Briggs makes Mercy a believeable character to me. Strong and independent but not infallible. She has a healthy dose of respect for the weres plus a little fear of them. But I like Mercy’s passive resistance to them. That junk car in her back lot to remind Adam of her independence is a real hoot. Something I would do.

I was/am rooting for Adam. There should be some interesting head butting in the future. 😆

Like many of the comments listed above, I like Mercy because she isn’t superwoman (supercoyote) or supervictim. She can handle things on her own when she needs to, but she isn’t TSTL, taking on bad guys by herself just for the heck of it. It seems silly to use the term “real” for an urban fantasy setting, but she seems like a real person, with real, human reactions, and the characters around her aren’t just stock, one-dimensional props. Patricia Briggs, in all of her books, does a good job with getting me into her world and not letting me get out easily!

I love the Mercy books, as well as the Anna books (Cry Wolf and short story Alpha and Omega). I didn’t read your review because I didn’t want any spoilers before I read Bone Crossed. I’m rooting for Adam!

Have you caught Mercy in the DabelBrother’s comic book series yet? The first one was issued in Nov 08 and I think there are two more to be issued soon.

What a great review. See, this is why I like your site so much. There’s nothing worse than reading a review on an eagerly-anticipated book only to have major spoilerage and other stuff ruin the trip for me. *sigh*

Please throw my name in also. And like so many others, I was rooting for Adam from the very first. In my opinion, he and Mercy are perfect for one another. This is going to be an awesome read, but I know it’ll be over too soon because I’ll read it all in one day.

I have the first three books (and CRY WOLF) but haven’t managed to get around to them yet. Thanks to your review, I’m dying to dive in! OMG–from your description, I would love Mercy because she’s assertive enough to take care of herself w/o being some snarky, quick-quip bad-ass like *SO MANY* U.F. heroines these days.

As for the Sam v. Adam debate…I guess I’ll have to wait until reading the books to find out who I favor. 🙂

I have been a team Adam fan from the beginning. Thank you for the great review (I am one of those people that actually love spoilers so it was great to get a hint at what was waiting for me in this book).

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Thea

Thea James is half of the maniacal book review duo behind The Book Smugglers. By day, she does digital operations things over at Penguin Random House. By night, she watches an abundance of horror movies, stays up too late, and voraciously devours ALL THE SFF.

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1 : a book review blog specializing in speculative fiction and popgeekery for all ages since 2008.
2 : a digital-first publisher of speculative fiction and nonfiction since 2014.
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